


One Night in Chicago

by hmsonny



Category: K-pop, NCT (Band)
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Angst, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-02
Updated: 2018-07-02
Packaged: 2019-06-01 13:26:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,393
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15144065
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hmsonny/pseuds/hmsonny
Summary: You and Mark had been best friends since you were both tiny toddlers; your friendship was so close it was like something from a film, from a fairytale about two best friends that conquered the entire world together. However, things swiftly grew complicated when you begun developing feelings for your wonderful friend; the complications darting to severity during one night in Chicago.





	One Night in Chicago

**Author's Note:**

> I know there's some annoying little time skips toward the end, I was just worried about the story being /too/ long!

_“Last one to your house is a wet sponge!” Mark yelled, shoving you playfully and darting off across the street, his Adidas backpack bouncing up and down with each lengthy stride he took. After reaching seventeen years old, of which you’d firmly decided was a ripe old age, you were done with Mark’s after-school races. Not just because you knew he’d beat you every time, geared up in his contradictory Nike trainers and tracksuit bottoms, with speed even Usain Bolt would be envious of, but because you’d been his friend since you could remember, and this was just another day of being that: Mark Lee’s best friend. Besides, you knew he’d be too tired to go on the trampoline while your mother cooked dinner for you both, so you got the whole thing to yourself._

_Every day you hung back, happily watching him rocket down the single stretch you had to walk, the sound of his trainers pounding the pavement gradually growing fainter. You giggled to yourself as you watched your pal’s distant figure lean over the front garden’s fencing, coughing and spluttering; as you moved nearer you slapped his back firmly._

_“So fast, Lee. And for what?” The gate opened with a creak, and you gestured mockingly for him to go through first as his right hand gripped tightly on to his chest._

_Thank you, friend.” He panted, accepting your offer and trailing his body down the thin pathway to your front door. “At least I’m not a wet sponge.”_

_Oh Mark Lee you are going down.” You muttered._

_As your mother opened the door you both pushed past her, hollering some kind of hello before racing through the house, twirling around tables and chairs, skidding through doorways and out in to the open of the garden, where you both collapsed on to the grass. There you lay for a few seconds, just the sound of your heavy breathing enveloping you both in a trance while birds sung around you and the sun cast its caring glow upon the both of you._

_"Being your friend is a tough one.” Mark joked, sitting up and scooting over to you, before leaning back on his elbows by your side._

_“_ _You love me though.” Came your clever response. Looking at Mark, you could see his entire face scrunch up, a mask of pure disgust falling over it. “Mark. You look like you’re sucking on a lemon.” You sniggered, watching his eyes spring open and his mask fall off, utter surprise becoming visible. He soon broke in to a smile, the classic Mark smile that had grown on you over the past seventeen years of knowing him; his small rounded teeth reflected the sun’s cheerful glow and his eyes turned to crescent moons as a squeaky laugh passed between his pink lips. You were glad to have him as your best friend. “_

_No, girls are gross.” Mark howled with laughter, and no matter how hard you tried keeping your ‘Mark, I’m not amused’ face, the way he launched his body from side to side and slammed the ground with a clenched fist because his joke was that hilarious, made a smile dance on your lips. Mere moments later you’d both returned to calm, both of you laying on your backs close beside one another, watching puffs of white roll across the pastel blue sky; birds dipping in and out, embarking on frantic chases of one another._

_“You know,” You begun to talk again. “Jay, that boy in our biology class-“_

_“_ _I hate biology.” Mark interrupted._

_“_ _Yeah, me too. Remember that time we dissected a heart and you had to leave the room to throw up? I’m never letting you forget that.” “_

_Gee thanks best friend.” He replied, emphasising the ‘best friend’ in a mocking fashion. “But yeah, what about Jay?”_

_“_ _He keeps telling me we’re ‘obviously getting married one day’.”_

_“What, you and him? No way that’s ridiculous.” Mark puffed, moving his arm up to dab away the sweat on his forehead._

_“_ _N- no I mean, he keeps saying that you and I will get married one day.” You squeezed your eyes shut as if pretending the sun was too bright for your vision to take, also meaning you could only hear Mark’s reaction rather than see it unfold before your eyes. Shuffles tickled your ears as you guessed Mark had propped himself up using one arm, goosebumps engulfing your body as you assumed he was now looking directly at you, you could feel his deep brown eyes burning the skin of your cheeks, but you fought to maintain a neutral expression._

_“That’s even more ridiculous.” He huffed in to the silence a long minute later. For some reason, you felt your heart sink. It was in that moment you truly felt something for Mark; when Jay had made those comments in class you too had felt it stupid, mere nonsense with no thought for the fact yourself and Mark were simply childhood friends. But when you truly thought about it, your heart leapt from your chest and sparkled so much your breath hitched, the butterflies in your stomach going wild. Everything you’d once simply liked about him became equally as endearing and loveable; the tiny freckles that sit prettily on his cheek and neck; the way he’d crack lame jokes that were so mundane they became funny; the way he himself found them funny for a split second before his cheeks flashed pink and he hid his face behind his sweater paws in a bid to stop people reacting because he hated the spotlight. Your mind went straight back to your sixteenth birthday, the night your parents had let you go to the pop-up carnival down the street with a group of friends to celebrate. Right near the end of the night, as your friends begun leaving one by one and the sky dimmed to an ashy blue and the stars twinkled delicately in scattered form across it, yourself and Mark stayed behind, sipping on milkshakes as your bodies shuddered under the cold no matter how close you huddled together. You both hiked up to the top of the hill that overlooked the shore, laughing as loud as your lungs would allow, the bitter night air swallowing your happiness and keeping it safe in its hands._

_At the top of the bank you sat, bodies close enough they were touching; Mark’s hoodie large enough on you that it could be pulled up over the rips in your jeans as you drew your knees up close to your body. You stayed in comfortable silence for hours, watching the tide roll in and out, in and out; the wind grazing past your cheeks and sending your hair flying in all directions._

_“Here.” Mark sighed with a soft smile, pulling a hair tie out of his coat pocket and offering it to you. “You always complain how you forget them so I remembered for you.” When you took it, he reverted his gaze to the sea._

_“_ _Thanks bud.” You forced the words out; at the time you didn’t know why it had been so hard but you realise now referring to him that held heavy ‘friendly’ connotations hurt a little – not a painful hurt, just a gentle ache in the pit of your heart and a heaviness in your stomach._

_“You know.” He piped up once you’d tied you hair back. When you looked at him you couldn’t help but notice he was already looking at you. “Not to be fake deep or anything but I hope we’re friends for a long time.” His lips pursed in a half smile, his cheekbones eccentricating as they always did when he smiled._

_“_ _You’re fake deep, Mark.” You jeered, before nodding slowly. “But me too.” Seconds of shared eye contact made your heart race. Even in the darkness his dark eyes remained the stunning colour of trees in autumn; your favourite season. All different shades of brown mixed in to make Mark’s brown; a colour you’d never seen before looking in to those eyes for the first time. You’d taken many polaroids that day with Mark’s mini vintage camera, but your favourite remained to be the one you took seconds after that moment. Your best friend’s arm was wrapped tightly around your shoulder as you leant in to him, your face scrunched and smiling while your right arm threw up a peace sign; Mark was beside you, a smile on his face, his eyes sparkling brighter than the stars in the sky. Behind you, the carnival lights were faint, hardly there. All that mattered in this moment was you and Mark; the best friends for life._

-

“Well if it isn’t Mr Mark Lee!” You announced sarcastically as Mark slipped himself in to the passenger seat of your car and accepted the iced coffee you’d bought for him prior to picking him up from the airport. Now that many of his bandmates were out doing army service, his management had finally granted him a break, so he’d travelled over to visit you after seeing his family.

“Well if it isn’t little old me!” He replied, sipping the coffee and pulling the seatbelt across his slim frame. He then placed the plastic cup back in the cup holder and slapped his thighs. “So! What have we got planned today then, old buddy old pal?” Mark questioned, looking at you expectantly.

The sunrise in front of you cast a red-orange glow upon Mark’s face, his oversized white shirt illuminating and his messy brown hair falling in gentle, loose curls upon his forehead. You’d never, in your now twenty-three years of knowing him, seen his hair in this styling. Sure, you’d seen it curly; you’d been by his side when they bleached it bright blonde and curled it crazily that one time. Secretly you’d adored it, but you’d never admit that to him – to this day he never knew it made your heart race when he’d washed it and it went frizzy. But today; it was the familiar caramel colour you’d always known, the fair brown hinted with darker shadows however for the first time fell in subtle waves that glinted in the rising sunlight. You’d be lying to yourself if you said you didn’t have to grip the steering wheel tighter as your hands just longed to be entangled in his hair, as you held him in a warm embrace.

“Lovey, you there?” Mark joked, waving a hand in front of your face.

“You still wear that bracelet.” You pointed out, forcing a laugh as you snaked out of your trance. Mark peered down at his wrist, at the blue and purple plaited material bracelet that hung on to his wrist.

“Of course I do! My best friend gave it to me when we were about, what, fourteen? Purple and blue are our favourite colours, how could I stop wearing it just because it got a little tattered?” He gave a playful wink and demanded once again to be told what today had in store for the “Swaglets of Town”.

“Don’t you dare make that a thing.” You said sternly, starting up the car engine shaking your head in disbelief.

“Oh it’s already a thing, believe me!” He exclaimed as you pushed the accelerator, Mark grabbing his coffee and letting out a long roar of _‘Woooo!’_

As you drove down the highway, Mark rolled down his window and shifted his body as if readying himself for some kind of move he was about to take. You knew exactly what.

“Mark. Mark Lee don’t you dare!” You yelled, quickly flitting your eyes from left to right; from the road, to your friend, the road, back to him. Moments later, the upper half of Mark’s torso was not visible as he hung out of the window, arms outstretched. You could hear his muffled screams as he let the happiness take over his entire being; you just knew he was feeling an overwhelming sense of joy and freedom now he was away from the shackles of being an idol for an indefinite, but long amount of time – seeing him enjoy that made your heart swell. “Wow, I love you.” You whispered under your breath, sighing as a half-smile appeared on your lips.

“What was that?” He asked, pulling himself back in to the seat. You hesitated for a split second.

“I said you’re an idiot, Mark.”

“At least I kept my seatbelt on!” He argued playfully. You couldn’t help but give in, complaining about how unsafe he was being but you could tell he was having fun so who on Earth were you to stop him, as you pulled in to the Denny’s parking lot. “My favourite place!” Mark smiled.

“Really?” You asked, taking the keys from the ignition and frowning at him.

“Uh.. I’ve never been.” He admitted fairly quickly, twirling his thumbs. You looked down in to your lap as you unclipped your seatbelt and watched it dismally slide across your pink jumper. “Thank you though.” Mark’s voice had grown delicate, a softness interlacing itself with his deep tone. “For bringing me here. You’ve always known how I love trying new food places.” The sun was now fully risen, and chose to shine golden rays on Mark’s face, his cheekbones becoming more obvious and his smile shining even brighter. Deafening, yet comfortable silence hung in the air between you both as you didn’t know quite what to say. Once again you were lost in his eyes, enveloped in his presence. The dust particles in your car that were caught briefly by the sunlight floated around him as if they were galaxies of stars, yet he still shone the brightest. Your eyes quickly scanned down to look at his lips; the soft, silkiness of them causing your heart rate to increase a dangerous amount; but you moved your gaze back to his eyes very quickly as the ache begun to set in. Silence remained. Mark’s body flinched forward not even an inch before he grabbed his empty coffee cup and quickly breathed a nervous “Let’s get some Denny’s!”

Mark told you all kinds of crazy stories as you sat eating pancake upon pancake swirled with different ice cream flavours and topped with sweet fruits, drizzled with every sauce flavour you could ever have dreamed of. You watched in awe as he never stopped talking, absolute admiration slapped across your face while pure elation fell upon his. He told of funny dorm stories, the time Doyoung had stolen one of Taeil’s favourite shirts and accidentally set it on fire while his elder had chased him through the kitchen; the time all of Dream chipped in to buy Lucas a shirt that said ‘I’m NCT Dream’s biggest fan’ on it for his birthday; the way he’d cried actual tears when he opened it – the stories never stopped flowing. He only stopped when he was interrupted by his phone buzzing on the table.

“A text from Johnny!” He exclaimed, scooping it up in to his hands.

You liked Johnny; in your time being this close with Mark you’d also become close to ‘The Gentle Giant’ or ‘The BFG’. He was one of those people that was everyone’s best friend, and Mark knew that if he ever needed his best friend taken care of, Johnny was the one to turn to.

“Oh yeah? What’s the gentle giant wanting today?”

“He’s home in Chicago! He said he’s having a movie night tomorrow night at his and we’re welcome to come along.” You leant forward to look at the phone but Mark snapped it back, before chewing his lip anxiously. “He specifically said to bring you.” He added on to the end.

“I’d love to go! It would be nice to see him again. Who else will be there?” You asked, beginning to shovel the last of the fries in to your mouth. Unbeknownst to Mark, the last time you’d seen Johnny was around a year ago, just after you’d consoled Mark via FaceTime when his first ever girlfriend broke up with him in a heavily brutal way. She’d absolutely torn his heart to shreds and you had to sit and help him through it; you felt terrible, horrific in fact, knowing you felt so strongly for him – seeing him the way he was broke your heart but you just struggled beyond words to tell him. No time was right. Not to mention you were terrified of ruining the strong friendship you’d spent so many years building and treasuring. Johnny had driven the four hours from Chicago to Michigan to look after you; you’d laid in his arms sobbing for hours, explaining to him your feelings and how selfish you felt, but never felt like the time was right to tell him what your heart wanted him to know.

“He says it’ll be you and I, him, Jeno, Renjun, Jaehyun, Chenle, Yukhei and…” His voice trailed off just as you were about to pull a joke about how chaotic having Chenle and Yukhei in a room together was bound to be. “… anyone else we want to bring.” He smiled, tapping in a quick response and placing his phone on the table, face down this time.

“Sounds fun! Especially with Chenle and Yukhei there.” You forced a laugh. Something felt peculiar. For the first time in so many years, the air around you both felt awkward. “And Jeno. He’s so funny. You can stay at mine tonight if you want?”

“Oh I booked a hotel!” Mark gasped suddenly, rubbing his palms along his thighs. He’d always enjoyed sleepovers at your house; he’d never once declined, in fact he often appeared at your door with blankets, pillows and plushies as you were growing up. “I just didn’t want to intrude.” He smiled at you, and you trusted him. He was your best friend, how could you not? He had no reason to lie, after all. “But if I’m going to be able to stay up tomorrow night for this movie night I should probably head back to the hotel to catch some sleep.” He sighed gently, almost as if he was unsure with his decision, but said it anyway.

“Oh…” You muttered gently, pushing the surprise carnival tickets down further in to your pocket. “That’s okay!” You perked yourself up. Despite the fact something almost definitely felt off, you knew Mark had been travelling almost constantly for the past few years and he really did deserve a rest. “Would you like me to drop you off?”

Mark gave an apathetic nod.

-

Your best friend politely declined a lift to Chicago the next evening, insisting he’d be arriving a little later and was going to take the train instead. The only thing stopping your sub-conscience from going in to maximum overdrive was the fact he still signed off his text with ‘Wet Sponge #2 x’. However, upon arriving at Johnny’s, he seemed somewhat surprised to be seeing you. “Oh, hey!” A frown hesitated on his eyebrows, but he still moved forward and wrapped his arms around you, rubbing your back and asking how you’d been since you last spoke. You could already hear the distant screams of Chenle and Yukhei, and instantly recognisable shouting that belonged to no other than Lee Jeno.

“You okay?” Johnny asked, looking in to your eyes and placing a careful but firm hand on either one of your shoulders. He had genuine concern in his eyes and on his face as he awaited your response.

“I’m fine.” You forced a smile.

“We’ll talk later.” He pursed his lips, knowing you were lying to him. Part of you felt relieved that you didn’t have to pretend, part of you wanted someone to talk to, ask if you were being irrational. But the latter, and larger, half of you didn’t want that. You were worried you were overreacting, overanalysing situations because of the deep feeling and concern you’d always held for your friend. And talk later you did.

Chicago fell quickly in to night time, the starless sky a mere black hole with ominous grey smears sliding across it; the moon full and round, bright enough to cast light through the windows of Johnny’s apartment. The atmosphere outside was still, the air muggy and thick as if a thunderstorm was due any second. You stood in the corner of Johnny’s front room, the humble sized TV flat against the wall next to you; a sofa and two arm chairs at the back and to the sides of the room. In the centre of the room stood a broad, lengthy brown coffee table atop an off-white furry rug. The room was lit only by a standalone lamp in the far corner next to the TV, and the reflections made by the moon, resulting in the area being dimly lit, what Johnny had proudly called ‘atmospheric’.

You strode over to the window, where ice cold raindrops had begun smashing in to the glass; racing one another to the waste pool at the bottom. Gently, you traced their tracks with the tip of your index finger, not even flinching when thunder begun rolling through the clouds, and Chenle came barrelling through the door followed closely by the rest of the gang, each juggling piles of pizza boxes and bags of sodas, as well as tubs of ice cream. They soon began screeching your name in high pitched tones they’d adopted from Chenle – a habit he’d never grown out of, only passed on to other members. The noise bought Johnny out of the kitchen, and he gestured subtly for you to leave and join him. Helping Jeno place down the three humungous pizza boxes he was carrying, you choked up some greetings in a frail voice and excused yourself in to the other room, where Johnny pushed the door shut and let it gently click closed.

“Here sit down.” He said, pulling out a chair at the kitchen island for you to pull yourself on to, leaning on the cool marble counter. “What’s going on? I can tell you’re not yourself, and Mark didn’t come here with you?” He questioned, reaching over from the other side of the counter and placing a comforting hand on top of yours.

“It’s dumb. I’m just worried about Mark – he’s not himself. He seemed so happy yesterday morning when I picked him up from the airport, but as the day went on he just… deflated. Like a balloon, y’know? He started off bright, happy but ended up just sunken and depressed. Like he just… gave up?” The pitch of your voice rose in question, perhaps asking if Johnny knew what was wrong, maybe asking why you were worrying so much. Johnny took a breath to give you an answer, but was interrupted by the apartment buzzer ringing from the other room. Mark’s name echoed in excited cheers around the room, slicing through the violent thunder that grumbled outside and piercing your eardrums, a feeling that was almost relief rising in your chest; _he was okay_.

You grabbed for the door with upbeat bliss, a smile shining through the rain that had poured down your cheeks previously, until you let the door swing back, Johnny halfway through crying out your name in an alarmingly urgent tone. There stood Mark, a girl huddled close by his side; clinging to him like wet clothes as if he’d just slipped in to a swampy pond and dragged himself out. His hair was wet through, spiralling and sticking to his face like vines on a house, his black shirt and Nike tracksuit bottoms had turned an even darker shade as they’d become drenched by the rain. The girl’s arms both trailed around a single one of Mark’s as she sported a tight fitting dress, her hair neatly curled in a perfect, elegant cascade down her back. That’s when Mark spotted you in the doorway, his mouth opening and closing several times before he spat words out in to the space between you.

“Th-this is Amy, my-” “I’m his girlfriend.” She grinned, her sticky red lips peeling apart to reveal luminous white teeth. You stood there, speechless suddenly becoming the biggest understatement of the entire century; staring at her attire, you peered down at your own choice of loose torn up jeans and a shirt so big it drowned you. Suddenly everything about you wasn’t enough; suddenly the past twenty-three years with Mark seemed fake, like a play upon a stage where you’d merely played a character in his performance and now only belonged in the wings. You noticed the bracelet had gone. How long had he kept this from you? How long had he been blind to the fact you so clearly felt something for him? How much of your trust in him had been misplaced?

“It’s nice to meet you Amy.” You choked, a lump forming swiftly in your throat as Mark removed himself from her hold and you felt Johnny’s hand gently touch your back as your body became weak.

“This is my best friend.” Mark said, starting to walk over to you, only you stumbled backward in to Johnny, whose hands pressed your back to stop you from tumbling over. Amy sniggered.

“Oh this is her. That’s nice.” The snarkiness of her comment stung. She once again latched herself on to Mark like a leech, pulling him back toward her.

“What film’s first, Johnny?” The words hardly left your lips as you turned to face him, looking up as he knowingly took your hint and gave your back a soft rub, heading over to the DVD cabinet and swinging it open; every guest flocking to the collection to pick out their favourite. Mark’s girlfriend slipped off her heels and trotted over to the boys, crouching between them all and attempting to join the conversation with ditzy comments and hair flips. You stayed behind, inviting yourself on to the farthest armchair, right by the window. At one point Mark begun to hesitantly edge toward you, but stopped himself several times before once again finding himself being strung along by his girl.

Throughout the film, Mark, who was conveniently placed on the armchair opposite you, his girlfriend sitting so elegantly in his lap, kept catching your eye. With the other boys all squashed on to the sofa at the back of the room, their eyes were permanently glued to the TV screen, almost as if they were actually living in the world of Peter Pan; Jeno seemed to know the entire script. Sometimes you’d glance up from staring in to your own lap, and Mark would already be looking at you; but his dull, lifeless eyes would quickly dart away, anywhere else. Often Amy would notice, throwing you a filthy look before turning and placing a hand on Mark’s cheek, demanding him to look up at her instead. In the end it got too much.

Silently, you stood up from the armchair, leaving it’s uncomfortable, sticky leather texture behind, and discreetly slipped out behind everyone so as not to draw attention to yourself. With shaky arms, you pulled yourself up in to a bar stool and crossed your arms across the marble; your back to the door as you rested your head down and immediately burst in to tears. When you heard the door creak open behind you, you tried telling Johnny to leave you be this time around, but the words came out as a growl as your throat had become sore and sticky.

“It’s me.” Mark’s voice tore in to you. Your heart begun pounding and you felt the blood drain from your head as you lifted it, your eyes were completely misted over with tears. Instead of you turning to face him, he walked around to the other side of the counter and stood opposite you.

“I’m happy for you.” You smiled, which only resulted in more tears being pushed from your eyes.

“You don’t look it.” Mark sighed, a frown appearing as he racked his brain as to what had hurt you so much. “No, really I am!” You exclaimed, the words hurting you to say no matter how sincere and from your heart they were. “It’s just the fact you didn’t tell me, you kept it from me. We promised no secrets and you kept that for over twenty years and suddenly it just didn’t apply anymore.” Your voice was unsteady and hysterical as you smeared the tears away with the back of your palm.

“Listen, I-”

“You let me fall for you, you let me feel like I had a chance with you all this time and never once told me you had a girlfriend. You were going to kiss me outside Denny’s; I know you were.” The words left your mouth before you even had the chance to process them in your messy, whirring mind. Realising what you’d said, you instantly broke in to more muted sobs. Mark stood, his mouth wide open, admittedly unable to deny the thought had crossed his mind.

“I- I don’t-” Mark fought for the right words to say. “I thought maybe you liked me but I assumed you were too good for me? I was scared of ruining a friendship with someone who meant so much to me, I can’t stand the thought of losing you.”

You looked up. His breathtaking, starry eyes had burned out; the unique, brown colour was muted; the only glint in his eye now was the glint of tears that threatened to spill at any moment.

“Mark. It’s okay. If you’re happy with Amy then it’s okay; I’m happy for you too. Genuinely. Obviously it will hurt me a little bit but you mean the entire world to me and all I want is for you to be happy.” You stated, calming yourself with drawn out breaths as you stared in to his eyes, your face and lips turning uncomfortably dry. “I just want you to be happy - even if that doesn’t involve me.”

“I’m not in- it does inv-” Mark begun to talk, but you shook your head and begged him not to.

“Please; stay with her.” You said, pulling out your slip wallet from your back pocket and opening it up, retrieving a £10 note and sliding it across the table to him. “Tell Johnny thank you, and that’s to go toward the pizza.”

You turned to walk away, but Mark spotted the polaroid in the clear pocket of the wallet and grabbed your forearm to stop you leaving. “You.. you kept that polaroid of us at the carnival in your wallet this whole time?” He asked, blinking hard as a single tear from each of his eyes begun sliding down his cheeks, grazing his cheekbones and running down to drip from his chin. You nodded softly, pulling it from its place and handing it to him, before leaving the kitchen and making for the door; unfortunately just as the film came to an end.

The audience’s attention now fell on to you. “S-sorry everyone I’m just not feeling great, I have to go home.” You blurted. Johnny stood suddenly, realising something was wrong. Amy rose from the armchair, strutting toward the light switch and turning it on so that everyone present could see the fresh glow on your face from the tears you’d just been weeping. Mark emerged from the kitchen, the polaroid clipped between his index finger and thumb, his mouth still open in shock. You opened the front door and went to leave.

“Wait!” Mark called, the soft pat of his socks moving quickly up behind you. The boys all watched closely, Johnny stood by the TV, his hands connected behind his head as he grimaced, unsure of what to do. Amy soon appeared at Mark’s side, and you turned to face them. “Please.. don’t go.” Mark squeaked, tears now pouring like waterfalls from his eyes. Amy frowned solidly, looking you up and down, before spotting the polaroid in his hand. She snatched it from Mark’s grip and identified it was you in the photo; raising her eyebrows at you expectantly. You turned away again.

“Please, don’t go. I'm-” Mark started, but stopped himself.

You didn’t even look back.

You pulled the door closed behind you and made for the exit.

**Author's Note:**

> This was long, but I hope you enjoyed(?)! Let me know what you thought in the comments!


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